RYE Student Abby  | My Year of Adventure in Australia

In January, I spent a week in Augusta with my third host family, The Wacketts. It was a fun and relaxing trip, one of the best parts was going to the beach and playing with the boogie board.  We also visited a golf course and saw a big group of wild kangaroos eating grass, they were so cute! I really wanted to get closer to them, but I was a bit scared they might suddenly attack me, so I didn’t go too close.

 

It was also a great chance to use the snorkeling set I got for Christmas from the Belton Family, my second host family.  It was my first time using it, and when I put on the flippers, I found it much easier to kick in the water. The diving mask helped me clearly see the fish and other sea animals under the water, because I knew the gear was mine, I got used to it more quickly and felt more confident.  This experience made me even more excited about the whale shark swimming trip at the end of April.  I’ve decided to practice ahead of time, so I’ll be ready for that big trip.

Besides the sea activities, I also had other fun and memorable experiences. My host family took me to watch an Australian football game. It was about two hours. Compared to the four-hour cricket match I watched before,  Australia football was much faster and more intensely pulled me in.  After this experience, I started to like this sport more and became more interested in learning about Australian sports culture. 

Speaking of culture, my host family also took me to a very special show at the Fringe Festival, the Fringe is all about creativity and non-traditional ideas, so the performance was super fun. Four muscular men performed something like a circus, but they also added funny parts, like pretending to go to the toilet or only wearing underwear. The whole show was fresh and entertaining, and it made me feel that this kind of culture is really diverse and creative.

 

These different experiences helped me feel more connected to local life and made me more interested in art and sports. One special moment was when I got invited to join my school’s arts showcase, it included Year 12 students who were great in dance, music, or drama. One male dancer wore a light blue ballet costume, and his dance skills were truly amazing. His body control and grace made me fully focus on his performance. It was not only a visual treat but also made me set higher goals for myself in dance.  

 

Recently, I also went with other exchange students to visit the lighthouse in Augusta and a beach where stingrays sometimes appear, the weather was really nice that day, and there weren’t many people, so I didn’t expect to see
any stingrays. But to my surprise, I saw several and even took really clear photos! It was a complete surprise and made me feel amazed by the wonders of nature. We also visited Jewel Cave, the stalactites and stalagmites inside were so beautiful I couldn’t take my eyes off them. Also, compared to the 36- degree heat outside, the cool 18 degrees inside the cave felt super nice, it was also the first time I noticed the advantage of being short—because I didn’t have to worry about hitting my head on the cave roof, which made me laugh.

These different experiences have made me treasure this exchange journey even more. They’ve helped me understand Australia’s nature and culture more deeply. Every day brings new discoveries and makes my life colorful and full of joy. I look forward to more adventures ahead and hope I can keep these memories in my heart and share more fun activities with you all. 

 

 

Abby Lin 

RYE Exchange Student | Perth Rotary Club 2024/25